Houses for displaced Koraga families at Kulshekara

Houses for displaced Koraga families at Kulshekara

Mangaluru, May 21, 2018: Eight Koraga families, who lost their houses for widening of National Highway at Nanthoor, finally entered their new dream houses at Kotimura in Kulshekara on May 20, Sunday.

The families were displaced after the NHAI acquired their land in 2009. After the displacement, the families failed to get compensation for the loss of land, as they did not have proper land documents.

The CPM and the Karnataka Adivasi Hakkugala Samanvaya Samiti had been supporting the families, by organising a series of protests in the recent past, highlighting the pathetic condition of the Koraga families.

The district administration shifted the families to rented houses and also promised to provide rehabilitation facilities. However, there was undue delay in rehabilitation facilities.

“Even the funds sanctioned for the construction of houses were insufficient. Hence, the Samiti, along with CPM workers, raised money from well-wishers and donors for the construction of houses for these poor families,” said Samiti convner Krishnappa Konchady.

The Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) had sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each and the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) sanctioned Rs 1 lakh each for the construction of houses. The land for the construction of the houses was sanctioned by the government.

As the amount was meagre to build a house, the Samithi raised the amount to complete the houses. The cost of each dwelling unit is Rs 6.5 lakh.

Speaking on the occasion of house warming ceremony, Muneer Katipalla of CPM said, “Today is a happiest day, our efforts have resulted in the Koraga families to get a house. An aboriginal tribe in Dakshina Kannada have been able to get a roof over their head, after nearly a decade of losing their land for road.”

Konkani Sahitya Academy former president Roy Castellino lauded the efforts of the Samiti in building the house for the poor.

CPM district secretary Vasanth Achary said, “When the eight families were in distress, it was CPM-DYFI which extended helping hand and instilled confidence in them. The hard work has finally borne a fruit in the form of a roof over the head of poor families.”